


In The Deep

by lilolilyrae



Series: Just You And Me - Until The End. [6]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Flashbacks, Immortal Wives Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko, Panic Attacks, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Quynh | Noriko Needs a Hug, Whump, rated t for trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:49:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27498247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilolilyrae/pseuds/lilolilyrae
Summary: No matter how much Quynh tries to put her time in the ocean behind herself, sometimes it will catch up with her at night.
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko
Series: Just You And Me - Until The End. [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980067
Comments: 12
Kudos: 40





	In The Deep

**Author's Note:**

> heed the warnings in the tags

Andromache wakes quite suddenly when she feels something hitting her face.

Jumping upright in alarm, she grabs her attacker in one swift motion, ready for everything- only to find her hands around Quynh's arm, the other woman trashing on the bed, screaming soundlessly, seemingly punching an invisible wall-

"Quynh?!" 

Andy lets go of her arm only for Quynh to hit her again as she tries to lean over her, and Andy has to grab her wrists and sit on her legs to stop her from hurting her or herself. Quynh doesn't wake, still trapped in her nightmare, her eyes squeezed shut in agony, throwing her head back and forth-

Andromache had seen her during night terrors before, of course, but- this is more than just a normal nightmare.

A flashback, most likely of the iron coffin, and the worst she has seen Quynh have in centuries.

She knows what it feels, the memory of drowning still burnt into her mind, but she never gets flashbacks quite as bad as Quynh.

Andy wishes she could take the pain of the memories away from her.

"Quynh, you are safe, you are safe, it is alright, you are here, you are safe-" remembering how scared Quynh used to be of the dark right after she had come back from the sea, she lets go of her for a moment to turn on the light, standing at the wall and blinking against the sudden brightness- For a moment, she thinks that it did the trick in waking her, as Quynh obviously reacts, jumping and falling of the bed- but she doesn't get up, instead flailing, her arms and legs hitting against the floor and the wooden bed...

Andromache rushes to her side, trying to hold her still. "Quynh, _wake up!_ "

When Andy herself has nightmares, Quynh sometimes upends a glass of water on her head, but somehow Andy doesn't think that getting her wet and cold would improve the situation for Quynh.

Instead, she slaps her cheek, hard. "Wake up!"

Quynh comes awake with a gasp, and her until-then silent scream turns audible, a shrill wailing sound that gets even higher as she draws her arms over her face as if to protect herself, body going lax and she would have fallen over again had it not been for Andromache by her side, steadying her, picking her up and carrying her back to bed.

"Quynh, you are safe, it is over, it was a dream- I'm here, you're safe, I won't ever let that happen to you again-" Andromache chokes up, not knowing what else to tell her love, but Quynh is still shaking and she draws her into her lap, awkwardly pulling the blanket back over them both, covering Quynh to her shoulders, cradling her in her arms and stroking her hair. 

"You're safe, Quynh, you're- you're safe, I promise, I promise-"

Quynh sobs, her wail quieting as she burrows into Andromache's chest, pushes her face against her skin and starts to cry, still shaking but now in a way Andy recognises.

"Oh, Quynh..." pressing her lips to her hair, Andy has to bite back her own tears. She can't be weak now, not when Quynh needs her to be strong for the both of them. "I'm so sorry," she whispers into her hair, then leaning her forehead against Quynh's scalp and starting to gently rock Quynh back and forth. 

After a while, Andy can't tell whether minutes or hours have passed but she thinks her throat would be sore from whispering by now if she were mortal, Quynh starts to calm, leaning her cheek against Andy's chest that is wet from her tears and drawing in deep rhasping breaths. 

Andromache slowly halts her rocking motions but keeps stroking Quynh's hair and back, her own cheek resting on Quynh's head. 

They stay like that for another while, just holding onto each other as Quynh's breathing returns to normal. They are each other's home, each other's safety net, have been for longer than anyone else ever lived.

Taking a final deep breath, Quynh shifts back wiping at her eyes. Andromache helps to hold her upright even though she has found her own balance again by now, but the touch is appreciated nonetheless.

"Th-thank you, Anh-" she croaks out before she has to cough, and Andy reaches to the bedside table for the glass of water and a handkerchief so Quynh can drink and blow her nose.

"Thank you," Quynh repeats once her throat is clear, but Andy shushes her, and Quynh wetly smiles at her. This, at least, is familiar- they take care of each other after a nightmare, even when it isn't as severe as this one, the one who had the nightmare will thank the other who will wave it away. Andromache remembers the first time they did this- they had both had their own nightmare one night, not long after they had met, and had muttered jumbled calming words and thank-yous until they had to laugh under tears and go back to sleep holding each other close.

When Quynh finishes drinking, Andy puts the glass away, and by the time she turns back around Quynh is once again fast asleep.

She doesn't appear to be dreaming yet, breathing evenly, her mouth slightly open and relaxed, no angry lines on her forehead.

Andromache hopes that whatever dreams will find her this time around will be more pleasant for her than the last- or at the very least less vile.

Quynh doesn't deserve to suffer like that. No-one does, really, but especially not her. Not after everything she's been through, not with how good a person she still manages to be despite the horrors she has seen.

Sitting down with her back against the headboard to keep watch, she cards her fingers through Quynh's hair. Asleep, Quynh, snuggles into the touch and Andy smiles down at her. There will probably always be nightmares, old and new ones, too, but there are good moments, as well.

And the old nightmares do lessen with time.

With a sigh, Andy shifts so she rests more comfortable next to Quynh.

Everything will look less daunting in the daylight.

**Author's Note:**

> Writing this is what happens when you sleep too little, listen to Habibi by Tamino on repeat and force yourself to work on your thesis all day, watch (skipwatch because I already knew I shouldn't have watched it but I wanted to see it ok) Bombshell on TV (great film but too deep and dark for me to handle when everything is already stressful), and then project all stress and horror of the world onto the nearest available fictional characters.
> 
> ...anyone have anything nice to tell me? Or cute cat pics? pls  
> I'm [lilolilyr](https://lilolilyr.tumblr.com/) on tumblr


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